


you got me like boom boom, boom boom (but who are you?)

by YunalalieMoon



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Amnesia, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Jeongin gets his man, Jeongin is a barista, Jisung is bad with feelings, M/M, Slow Burn, Ultra Slow Burn, actually i ship minsung but this ship is cute, actually is this even angst???? it's just fluff with a few sad bits, but at least they're smiling, but everything will be okay, i feel bad now, i have failed as an angst author, i have school tomorrow and it's 12 am help, i think, jeongin has amnesia, minho is just there, overuse of the word smile for the first 1000 words, poor minho, why did i forget that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-21 20:25:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14292768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YunalalieMoon/pseuds/YunalalieMoon
Summary: Jeongin is the one unpopular/cliche barista with amnesia at his college. He thinks pining over the oh-so-famous Han Jisung is pointless, especially when Jisung's already dating Minho. Is he?As Jeongin meets his friends (and enemies) again, he's starting to uncover a lot more about his and Jisung's relationship from the past.He's also meeting the one person who could ruin his life again.The oh-so-mysterious hacker, Void9700.orThe Amnesiac!/Barista!Jeongin and Jisung fic that no one asked for except for me.





	you got me like boom boom, boom boom (but who are you?)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Layni1771](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Layni1771/gifts).



> DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS TOOK
> 
> A WHOLE MONTH  
> my typing speed is 105 words per minute but stILL
> 
> I CHOKED WRITING THS IHWKJDSNC
> 
> Anyway, enjoy a messy plot with Amnesiac Jeongin trying to figure out what happened.
> 
> Meanwhile, he falls in love.
> 
> WIth who? That's a mystery.
> 
> anyway, to the dear Layni1771, I hope you liked this? I'm sorry for making it so long, I really didn't expect it to be slow burn. I'm glad you actually responded to my comments and took interest in my terrible theories! 
> 
> Your lovely (not) author,
> 
> Yujin

Yang Jeongin really hated himself.

No, he wasn't someone who just hated his life (Jeongin was close.) He was just...so cliche. From his black hair down to his stick-like legs, even his minor case of amnesia, he was a walking fanfiction character. Jeongin was the cute-looking unpopular kid that got the handsome/popular kid, right? However, his classical chocolate eyes were not captivating in any sort, and his smile did not charm anyone who saw him. Basically, Jeongin was trying to say he was ugly. He was cliche, yes, but more like the cliche nerd that got bullied everywhere he went. Absentmindedly, Jeongin pushed up the glasses that were falling from his face. Yes, Jeongin thought, he was definitely the walking definition of the word ugly.

So what made Jeongin think he had a chance with Han Jisung?

Han Jisung was a popular kid at his university, and Jeongin could tell why. The older was shorter than him by a centimeter, and his beautiful hair was shiny and silky. Jisung's eyes were rounded at the ends; something about his eyes gave off an innocent (Jeongin knew Jisung was not) feeling. His little squirrel cheeks were enough to drive anyone crazy, and his charming personality just made his gravitational pull harder to escape. Jisung was the definition of perfect, and Jeongin estimated about everyone in their school had a crush on him. Jeongin was one of the unfortunate few. But, what chance did he stand against Lee Minho, the university's equally as popular football star and dance choreographer? Yeah, nothing.

Lee Minho was popular, rivaled only by Jisung. Minho was tall and handsome, with sharp eyes that pierced your soul. His sunkin-in (yet beautiful) cheeks, and blonde, smooth hair were bonuses, and people said he had been crafted by the gods. Not only was he their school's ace, Minho was also the school's pride and joy. His visuals were no joke, and if Jeongin was not head-over-heels for Jisung, he might have considered Minho.

But why did it matter? Everyone in this school hated him. After disappearing for the last half of a semester a year ago, Jeongin had never really fit in. He was different now that he had amnesia, but everyone avoided Jeongin like he was the plague. Actually, Jeongin thought, a few people didn't. Felix and Chan, the Australians at his school, were extremely kind to him. Offering to sit with him, lending him notes, visiting him at this boring cafe job, the list went on. It was probably just some publicity stunt to show the rest of the student body that Chan and Felix could be kind too. Both of the Aussies were popular, perhaps not on Jisung or Minho's level, but high up there. What would they want with Yang Jeongin, the outcast with braces?

"Jeongin... Earth to Jeongin? Hello? Can I have my double ristretto venti, half-soy, nonfat, decaf, organic, chocolate brownie, iced vanilla, double-shot gingerbread frappuccino extra hot With foam, whipped cream upside down double blended, one Sweet'N Low and one Nutrasweet, and iced coffee?" a small yet cheerful voice deeper than the Mariana Trench said, cutting through his thoughts.

Jeongin heard the tapping of a foot with a heavy shoe and snapped out of his daydream to see Felix standing in front of him. Felix's blond hair was combed in front of his eyes today, and Jeongin could barely make out the older's eyes under the bangs and black mask. Carefully smiling, Jeongin turned around to make the order he had memorized. The recipe had become second nature to him now; he didn't even need Felix to tell him what he wanted by this point (although Jeongin never understood why Felix wanted extra hot with ice.) While making the coffee, Jeongin tilted his head up, meeting Felix's gaze. "Where's Changbin? You usually bring him here for dates. Did something happen?" Jeongin asked.

A small smile appeared on Felix's face, and Jeongin knew Felix was asking him if he was joking or not. When Jeongin shook his head, Felix's expression turned to bewildered. He coughed into his sweater paw and looked back at Jeongin, a serious yet light-hearted stare imprinted on his face. "Come on, can't I come here to visit my friend?" he asked, the smile returning when he got to the word 'friend.'

Jeongin almost spilled Felix's finished coffee. Did Jeongin need to go to the doctor to get his ears checked, or did Lee Felix just call him his friend? Unsure of how to react, Jeongin lowered his gaze to the clean tiled floor (oh, wait, there was a speck of dust there) and proceeded to choke on his spit. "D-did you seriously just call me your friend?" Jeongin spluttered, his face turning redder than the blood on the floor (ketchup, Jeongin; Daehwi wouldn't hurt a fly and Jinyoung wouldn't hurt anything Daehwi liked.)

The grin briefly faltered before Felix covered it up. "Hey, what do you mean? Am I not your friend?" Felix pouted, trying to play it off as a joke. Jeongin knew that Felix was being sincere, and the older was actually a bit hurt by his words. The way the smile fell off of Felix's face broke his heart.

Embarrassed, Jeongin snapped his head back up. He viciously shook his head no, face still red. Oh, God, how many times could Jeongin make a fool of himself in one day? "No, I didn't mean that! I didn't think you thought of me as a friend... After all, I'm Yang Jeongin, an amnesiac freak—" Jeongin started to say.

Felix cut Jeongin off before he could finish by grabbing his shoulders and shaking him harder than Jeongin shook his head. "No, what do you mean? Of course, you're my friend! My best friend, besides Chan." Felix saw the brief expression of happiness on Jeongin's face turn into one of "I'm-not-special." He continued before Jeongin became sadder. "Besides, what do you mean outcast? Aren't you part of my friend group? You know, me, Chan, and Woojin?"

Jeongin decided it was best not to argue with Felix, as the latter was ready to fight him to the end of the world to prove his point. Managing a weak nod, Jeongin handed Felix his coffee with a small, "Take it." Felix was a strange friend, but Jeongin still appreciated him, nonetheless.

Jeongin saw the smirk on Felix's face as he threw a shoulder around him. "When's your break, Jeongin? We can barbed wire at the amusement park later... Why are you laughing?" Felix said, initially starting with confidence. It fizzled away after Felix saw the laughter being held back.

Jeongin covered his mouth with his hand, a small smile on his face. "Dummy. Felix, hang out and barbed wire are different. Pronunciation! (A/N: salda is hang out while saldae is barbed wire)"

Jeongin watched Felix's eyes widen, and his arm that was around Jeongin drop to his side. "Oh, that's why it sounded funny. Sorry, Jeongin-ah, I promise I don't want to prick you on a spiky fence. I really want you to come with the squad to hang out, though, how about it? At 1:00 P.M, if you're free." Felix asked.

Jeongin really didn't feel like going out, but he couldn't bring himself to reject Felix. Felix was the literal sun, and if you made him sad, congratulations, you just killed the entire world. Everyone would hate you, and you'd feel like trash until Felix forgave you. Even so, you never really forgave yourself. Pretending to give the question thought, Jeongin slowly nodded his head. His mouth slightly curved up when he saw Felix bounce up and down in excitement. "We've been trying to get you to notice and talk to us since the beginning of this semester, but you never responded," Felix said accusingly.

Jeongin sheepishly smiled. He definitely remembered the older and his friends constantly bugging him, but Jeongin had brushed it off as minor bullying. At least Chan and Felix had the confidence to approach him directly. A small beep from Jeongin's wrist drew his attention, and he looked down to see his watch going off. It was 10:00 A.M, and Jeongin's shift ended here. Tapping his wrist, he looked at Felix. "Don't spill that coffee, you have the most complicated order ever, and I'm letting you have it for free. My shift ends right now. You can leave and get ready, I'll meet you at the park at 1." Jeongin turned to leave, but before either could walk further, Jeongin called out over his shoulder. "The new one that opened up, right?"

After hearing a "Yeah!" from Felix, Jeongin walked into the break room to get his regular clothes and tapped his sleeping co-worker on the shoulder. "Ya, Daehwi. Time to wake up." Jeongin whispered. Daehwi had his face buried in Jinyoung's shoulder, Jinyoung's hands wrapped around the smaller's waist.

Daehwi flinched and sat up, before looking at the clock on the wall. He gave Jeongin a small nod before carefully moving Jinyoung's hands away. Daehwi put on his apron and began leaving the room, going to work his shift.

Jeongin sighed, gripping the Kroger bag with his clothes in it tightly to his chest. In his left hand were his diary and a few important papers for college. Jeongin wanted to stay at the top of his class, so more effort needed to be put into college. As for the journal, If Jeongin was being honest, he was a bit nervous. After all, this friend group happened to include someone who Jeongin thought he felt a pull towards (not as strong as Jisung), a person who seemed oddly familiar (not in a good way), and a new, eccentric friend. What was he getting himself into? Nervously licking his lips, Jeongin left the break room to the cafe's main area, where Daehwi was serving customers that had been held up because of him and Felix. Jeongin mentally apologized before getting ready to leave the store. Jeongin violently shoved his shoes on to his feet, thinking still about what he had just planned. As soon as he opened the door, he was met with a strong gust of wind that nearly swept him off of his feet. To avoid annoying more people, he quickly stepped out and slammed the door behind him.

The wind, Jeongin concluded, was not nice. Obviously, it hated him with a burning passion and wanted him dead. Ah, how pleasant. Taking a deep breath, Jeongin started walking toward his dormitory that was a few blocks away. He'd rant to Joshua or Mingyu about how frustrating life was before asking them what he should wear. Jeongin needed to make a good impression, as he currently only had 2.5 friends. While he was distracted, he pulled his clothes closer and the book farther away.

After a minute or two of walking, the cloudy sky decided to rain. Where was the sun when you needed it? Jeongin grimaced and pulled his hood over his head with his left hand.

Unfortunately for him, this was the hand with the journal in it.

Jeongin never really had good muscle control. The book and papers were swept away and started flying away in the wind. Jeongin watched in disbelief before he realized what this meant. He started running after the papers, apologizing hastily to people he bumped in to.

The wind didn't seem to stop pushing the papers, as Jeongin passed by two stoplights. Cars honked at him for jaywalking, but the documents (and diary) were really important to him. What would happen if someone found his college assignments and coined them as their own? What if they ripped it up? What if they read his diary and... nevermind. Before he lost his mind, the papers stopped flying, reaching an alleyway. The papers flew in, the rustling ceasing as well. The papers had landed safely on the ground, clamped tightly into the book. Jeongin stopped for a bit and stood there, catching his breath. "That was close," Jeongin mumbled. "I am never letting that happen again."

Jeongin walked into the alleyway, avoiding the muck and trash that was gathered on the ground. He scrunched up his nose when he saw a dead rat and ran even faster toward his book. When he reached the end, Jeongin was shocked to find no book at all. Anxious, Jeongin blinked his eyes twice and turned around before turning back. "Where is it? I just saw it land here..."

"Isn't this what you're looking for, Jeongin-ah?" a voice asked, the sickeningly sweet tone disgusting Jeongin more than the dead rat.

Jeongin's bangs flew up with a puff of air that he blew out, and he turned around. Immediately, he regretted it. What if this was a murder? No, he'd be dead by now. What if it was Felix? No, the voice was too high. What if it was—?

What Jeongin definitely wasn't expecting was Han Jisung, standing a few inches in front of him. The shorter's eyes were pretty, and Jeongin really wanted to hug him right now. This would be the first time they formally met, face to face, by themselves (that he could remember), Jeongin noted. In Jisung's hand, curse his pretty hands, he held Jeongin's book, a small smirk on his face. "Hey, princess, this is your book, isn't it? Nice cover, I guess." Jisung tossed the small book around, inspecting every inch of it.

They were standing inches away from each other in the pouring rain, but this was nothing like the K-Drama scenes Jeongin had seen. A small bout of anger pricked him. Jisung was nice to every single other person in their university, or, at least, most. But, for some strange reason, Jisung seemed to hate Jeongin like his life depended on it. Even from the few times they had been five feet near each other, Jeongin could feel the hate. The constant teasing (when Jisung even noticed him) was enough, but, seriously, pet names? Jeongin wanted to throw up on Jisung's feet. Gritting his teeth, Jeongin poked Jisung's hand. "Give me my book back, prince."

Jisung's eyebrows wiggled, and Jeongin would have laughed if Jisung was actually funny. "Oh, returning the pet name? I see, Jeongin, kinky. But, wait a minute," Jisung teased. "What exactly is in this book that you don't want me seeing?" Jisung asked, a playful yet frightening undertone appearing in his voice.

Jeongin's face turned ten shades paler than considered healthy, and he wanted to crawl into a hole and die of embarrassment. Yes, Jeongin thought. There was a lot in there that he didn't want Jisung to see. For one, his huge crush on the said male. Two, his deepest secrets and terrifying family situation. However, Jeongin didn't have to courage to say any of these things, so he weakly grabbed at the book, his hands barely grazing the cover. Jeongin shook his head no, and he could feel the rain falling harder. Jisung's smirk grew bigger. He moved closer, his face dangerously close to Jeongin's. If Jeongin wanted, he could count all of Jisung's eyelashes. "Is there something about me in this book?" Jisung whispered, his mouth right next to Jeongin's ear. "G-give it back, Jisung," Jeongin weakly mumbled. His face was turning red, and he was shaking with fear (or was it because he was close to his crush?)

Jisung crossed his arms, leaning back. The book dangled from his hand, and Jeongin could see how weak of a grip Jisung had on the book. "Why should I, princess?"

"Because he said so," a second voice said. The sound came from someone behind Jisung, and Jeongin momentarily looked up to see who had come to save him. Pathetic, Jeongin, Jeongin briefly thought.

Chan was standing there, and he did not look happy. "What are you doing with Jeongin, Jisung? I'm pretty sure he doesn't like being called princess, and he definitely does not like you touching his book. So, for your sake, for your medical bill's sake, and for your mom's sake, how about you give the book back? No one will get hurt," Chan growled. The fierceness in his voice was enough to make even the toughest of men back down, Jeongin noted.

Jisung was obviously scared. His eyes widened, and his earring shook a little when he kept spinning his head around. Begrudgingly, he handed the book back to Jeongin. Jeongin thought it was over and Jisung would leave, but the latter had the nerve to stay and whisper one last sentence in Jeongin's ear. "I'll be waiting, princess."

Quickly, before Chan killed him, Jeongin watched Jisung run out of the alleyway like his life depended on it. When Jeongin watched the retreating figure disappear out of sight, he felt something warm roll down his cheek, and he knew for sure it wasn't rain. Jeongin bit his lip and looked down at the muddy and wet ground. He started sniffling and whimpering. He had never felt more alone in his life. A part of Jeongin knew it wasn't fully Jisung's fault, but rather the pressure from the day crushing him. Jisung had only been a trigger.

Jeongin calmed down when he felt strong arms wrap around him. A familiar yet unfamiliar scent surrounded him, and Jeongin leaned into the other. "Hey. It's okay, Jeongin," Chan mumbled.

Chan pulled Jeongin's face up to meet his, and Jeongin turned a bit red. Chan had a sad smile on his face, and he used his thumbs to wipe the tears off of Jeongin's face. They stayed like that for a second, before Chan pulled Jeongin back into the hug. "Do you want to go back to your dorm? It's 10:34; we have a few more hours," Chan suggested.

Jeongin awkwardly played with his hands before gaining the confidence to look back into Chan's eyes. "Can we go back to your apartment? I don't think I want to go back to mine," Jeongin whispered, his voice coming out horse and ragged.

Chan smiled pitifully at the other before pulling out of the hug. He laughed when Jeongin whined from loss of contact. "Come on, kiddo, I'll lead the way." Chan grabbed Jeongin's hand tightly and started pulling him out of the alleyway. Chan's hands were soft, and he didn't tug much. It was more of holding hands than leading, Jeongin realized. Nonetheless, he enjoyed it.

The way to Chan's apartment was nice. The sky wasn't as rainy anymore and was beginning to clear up. The flowering trees looked beautiful under the sunlight, which made them glisten with water. The grass looked shinier, and everything was overall more alive. It was interesting, Jeongin thought. The flowers were all different colors, planted into the same mixture of mulch and soil. The pathways were still dark grey with rain, but they were nicely cleaned and organized. Jeongin wished he lived in this division of the dorms. 

When they almost reached Chan's door, Jeongin stopped mid-stride. Questingly, Chan turned his head around. "Wait, what about my clothes? I must've dropped them in the alleyway," Jeongin said, wincing. "I can't go to the amusement park wearing rain-soaked clothes. And they smell like dead rat!" Jeongin whined.

Chan laughed and walked back towards Jeongin. He wrapped his hands around Jeongin's waist, and Jeongin swore he could have fainted right there. Chan was smiling, and he poked Jeongin's nose with his index finger, the cheesy grin sunken into Chan's face. "You can borrow mine."

Jeongin thought he melted into a pile of sap.

 

****

Jeongin liked two things in a man.

One, physical features. No, he wasn't someone who dated based on looks, but he preferred a big, strong demeanor and dominant area mixed with a serene, friendly feeling. Unfortunately for Jeongin, Jisung definitely fit this category. While the older did have a playful aura, Jisung could become (almost) scary. Jisung also had a soft image, but Jeongin knew from watching him rap that the softness was all a lie. The rapper had a strong flow, charisma, and the way he performed drew everyone in, regardless of gender, age, or preference.

Two, personality. Jeongin wasn't too picky, but this was something he couldn't let slide. Personality played a strong role in Jeongin's opinions on people. Someone who had a sweet, caring, and approachable personality was top on his list. Jeongin wasn't social, so someone who was easy to approach or came to him first was a great choice. Being the blind idiot he was, Jeongin had thought that Jisung had fit this category, but after meeting him in the alleyway, Jeongin wasn't too sure. Even worse, it had been their first meeting. How rude did you have to be?

The issue was, Jisung didn't exactly fit both. Sure, he fit one like it was second nature, but the second would have to be worked on. So why did Jeongin still feel that fluttery feeling in his chest when he thought about Jisung? Could it just be what was left of his past feelings? Jeongin shook his head and looked up with a determined stare. Yes, it was definitely past feelings. Jeongin was going to try his best to get rid of them. After all, who needed a toxic person in their life?

Jeongin had been too wrapped up in his thoughts that he crashed into something soft, yet hard, and stable, yet wobbly. He felt the object almost topple over, and he closed his eyes in embarrassment. Chan had been walking a few feet in front of him, what if he saw? Jeongin opened his eyes to see Bang Chan offering him a hand up, the same smile (smirk, the little--) on his face. "Oh, I'm sorry for hurting you, angel, but I bet it hurt more when you fell from heaven," Chan said, adding a wink at the end for extra effect.

The awkward silence that Jeongin had grown so accustomed to filled the air around them, thick and dominating. Jeongin felt his face turn redder than Felix's when Changbin complimented him. Not knowing what to say, Jeongin stared up at Chan, waiting for the older to break the silence. When he finally did, Jeongin was relived. "I'm sorry, that was really bad."

Jeongin decided to finally use Chan's hand to stand up, and he doubted his face was any less red. "Worse than the rumor about Changbin and Felix?" Jeongin asked.

A few months prior, Felix and Changbin had gotten into a "school scandal." No, scandal wasn't the right word. Scandal made it sound bad. What really happened was people started getting worried over how sappy they were. They came up with this elaborate theory that Changbin was forcing Felix into a relationship. In the end, it was more of the opposite way around. Felix was always the one clinging to Changbin (not that he minded).

Chan laughed before his expression turned into shock. "You remember that?" he asked.

Jeongin scoffed. Yes, he had amnesia. Yes, no one had bothered to take the time to fill in everything that had happened before. "I remember up to about half a year ago, what do you mean?"

It was a well-known fact that Jeongin had such a severe case of amnesia that he didn't even know why. Rumors spread like wildfire that a car accident/violence had been involved, but Jeongin begged to differ. His mom had told him that his personality was nonetheless the same, and Jeongin couldn't even bring himself to hurt a fly. The other talk was about Jeongin's past life. No one ever talked to him about anything, and Jeongin was starting to suspect he did something terrible before. The only bits of information he had managed to pry from a teacher was 1. He was actually pretty popular before. 2. His friends were trying to start over with him, hence why they didn't fill him in 3. He had been involved in some serious drama that even spread to the teachers.

The horror that had appeared in Chan's eyes turned into pleasant surprise. "Oh, really? That's good..." Chan mumbled, fumbling with his hands.

Jeongin noted how strange they must look to other students right now, standing in front of the "fortunate" students' dorms, Chan's face as red as a tomato and Jeongin's as red as Felix. Despite all the strange events happening right now, Jeongin was more confused on what Chan was saying. "What do you mean, that's good? Is there something bad I'm missing, or?" Jeongin asked.

Chan didn't meet Jeongin's gaze. "No, not really... just... something embarrassing I did at a party. It's nothing, Jeongin-ah," Chan said. He finally brought his eyes to meet Jeongin's, and Jeongin briefly wondered what Chan was hiding behind the dark eyes of his.

Jeongin decided to shrug it off. It couldn't be something too critical to his life, otherwise Chan would have told him. Chan was a good friend, after all. "Sure, whatever," Jeongin said. "Now, are we just going to stand in front of your apartment complex or actually go in?"

It took a second for the words to register in Chan's head; Jeongin could tell. "Huh? Oh... right! It's already around 11. We should really get you changed," Chan said, so fast his words slurred together more than a drunk person's.

Not bothering to decipher Chan, Jeongin nodded, his head in the clouds. Letting Chan take the lead, they walked into the building.

The first thing Jeongin noticed was the plush carpeting. It was a beautiful, pristine white, ten times better than the thin thing they called carpeting at Jeongin's apartment. There was a small fountain of a mermaid in the center of the lobby, and a small stand with lemonade, orange juice, etc. was set up in the corner. Cookies and popcorn screamed at Jeongin from the other corner, and he was overwhelmed. The high ceilings, beautiful lighting, and colorful walls (was that a crystal chandelier?) all stood out. Jeongin, out of all the few things he had been told, had spent his whole life living under a dusty and broken down house (if he was lucky enough to have a roof over his head.) He had learned this from his mother, and it broke his heart to know how terrible of a life she lived. It was what inspired Jeongin to continue his studies, despite the Dean's suggestion for him to rest a bit. The memory brought tears to his eyes, and Jeongin wiped them away with his sleeve, a small sniffle escaping him.

Jeongin saw Chan cast him a worried glance, and Jeongin smiled to assure the other it was okay. "Don't worry about me. I'm just shocked by this place, that's all. What floor do you live on?" Jeongin asked, trying to change the topic.

If Chan noticed Jeongin's feeble attempt at switching the conversation, he didn't say anything about it, Instead, he went along with whatever mess Jeongin spewed out. "Yeah, it's pretty overwhelming. I live on the third floor, come on. By the way, Woojin's my roommate, so don't mind him."

They strode to the elevator together, and the clear glass windows slid open for the two to climb in. For some reason, something seemed off.

Woojin? The name sounded so familiar to Jeongin, yet he couldn't remember why. "Have I heard of Woojin before, Chan?" Jeongin tentatively asked.

Chan nodded his head, pushing the three button on the elevator. Chan said something, but the words were hidden by the beep of the elevator. The only information Jeongin got was the look of "oops" sprawled all over his face.

Jeongin didn't quite catch what Chan meant by the expression, so he asked again. "What? Sorry, I didn't hear."

Chan, this time, gave him a shorter answer. "You didn't? Oh, well, you've probably heard of him from Felix. When he mentioned that we were a friend group, you know?"

Jeongin's mind went back to the encounter with Felix back in the cafe, and the familiarity of the name made a bit more sense. The issue was that it still felt more familiar than just a name that was casually brushed over once or twice in conversation. No, Jeongin felt like the name held much more meaning to him than that. But he couldn't just ask Chan, because it was obvious everyone on campus was trying their best to keep something a secret from him. So, Jeongin just shrugged and walked out of the elevator before it closed. "Oh, makes sense," Jeongin dumbly stated.

The short trip to Chan's apartment was made in silence. Jeongin felt comfortable and enjoyed the older's presence. He was like a big teddy bear that Jeongin could cry, hug, and cuddle with. However, something about Chan was still unsettling, as if he should remember him. Biting down on his lip, Jeongin looked around and coughed. "Here we are, Jeongin," Chan said, making Jeongin leave his train of thought behind.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks for inviting me over, by the way. I know it's sudden, and you probably don't care about me that much, but—"

"Shh," Chan muttered, turning around to face Jeongin. The first thought that popped into Jeongin's head was that they were unnaturally close. Chan cupped Jeongin's face. "Don't. I don't know if you know it, but—"

"So, what's shaking, guys?" a voice that Jeongin wished he didn't know said.

Jeongin almost got whiplash from turning around, and he felt Chan's hands slip off his face. Jeongin wanted to whine at the loss of contact, but, no, Jisung was here, and his pride wouldn't let him do that. "What do you want, Jisung?" Chan started, holding Jeongin back with his hand.

Softly, before Jisung could respond, Jeongin pushed Chan's hand out of the way. Looking at the older, he smiled a bit. "I can handle this by myself, Chan. Go in and tell Woojin first, yeah?" Jeongin whispered.

Jeongin could practically feel the hesitation in Chan's eyes, but with a single nod from Jeongin, the older turned around and took a deep breath, approaching the keypad. Chan punched in the code to the apartment with much more force than needed, sending a death glare to Jisung as he stepped into the room which, Jeongin glimpsed, was a mess.

Now that Chan was gone, there was a problem that needed to be solved. Jeongin turned around to make eye-contact with Jisung. Don't blush, you have to be serious, Jeongin, he thought. Unfortunately, Jeongin couldn't control his face, and his cheeks turned red. Trying to keep a serious face under Jisung's teasing gaze, he crossed his arms. "Seriously, what do you want from me?" Jeongin said. His eyes searched Jisung's for any hint, any sign, but he didn't get one.

What he did get was a softer gaze than any Jeongin had ever seen Jisung use. "Are you joking, or are you being serious? I know you spent the past year avoiding me, Yang Jeongin," Jisung said, approaching Jeongin.

Jeongin didn't have much room to back up, as he was standing right in front of the wall that separated Chan and his neighbor. He held his breath, realizing this would be the second time he was being pinned against the wall by Han Jisung in the past hour. "Yeah, I did. What about it, Jisung?" Jeongin said, casually. If he was being honest, he only did because of his crush. Yes, there were rumors (some malicious) being spread about Jisung, the school's proud pansexual, but Jeongin wasn't petty. He wouldn't avoid a person because of a small mistake (or big, based on what Jeongin had heard.)

Jeongin squeezed his eyes shut, expecting Jisung to pin him further, or make another snappy remark. What he didn't expect was something hot and wet to drip on his hands, and Jeongin briefly wondered if it was his own blood. After a few seconds of sniffling, Jeongin opened his eyes to see Jisung, tears rolling down his face. Jisung had backed away and was slowly walking backward before crashing into the other wall. The impact made a loud thump, and Jisung slid to the ground. Jeongin wondered if Jisung had fainted and briefly grew worried. However, Jisung was still crying. Because of the own good will of his heart, Jeongin approached Jisung. He fell to the wooden floor next to Jisung and looked at the older's depressing state. It brought a bitter taste to Jeongin's mouth, as he could remember when he was still like that. Jeongin debated whether or not to say anything, before reaching his left hand out to pat Jisung's back. "Hey, Jisung. Don't cry, it's oka—"

"What do you know?"

Jisung had exploded in a random outburst, and he pushed Jeongin's hand off of him. Standing up, Jisung started to run before turning around to face Jeongin for a split-second. This was when Jeongin saw the melancholy in Jisung's eyes, wet tears dropping faster than rain, and his beautiful face puffy and swollen from crying. "You wouldn't understand, Jeongin. You can't even see what they're doing to you, and they'll—" Jisung said.

Jisung was fast, but Chan was faster. He had been watching the last minute, Jeongin realized. He stood with a stern look on his face, and Jeongin knew Chan was not happy. "i think that's enough, Jisung. Come on, Jeongin."

Without warning, Chan gripped Jeongin's hand with a cast iron grip, dragging the younger into the apartment. Jisung cried behind them, and Jeongin knew Jisung was about to chase after him before Chan closed the door. For a second, Jeongin heard crying. Slowly, it grew fainter, until it disappeared. Chan took the time to let go of Jeongin's wrist, and Jeongin rubbed the spot where Chan had gripped him, mouthing a small "ouch."

Chan noticed and calmly rubbed circles around Jeongin's back. For some reason, the small action reminded him of Jisung, and Jeongin was on the verge of tears. "You good, Jeongin?" Chan asked, concern evident in his voice.

Jeongin couldn't bring himself to meet Chan's gaze, so he just stared at the polished wooden boards, nodding slightly. He had never felt so small under Chan's gaze in the few hours they had been friends. "I know you're not, but I'll give you time to think. Just—Just don't think much about what Jisung said, that kid is known for lying to get his way," Chan said, bitterly.

Jeongin was confused. From the stories other students told, Jisung was the nicest person they had ever met. Jisung had even once paid for someone's sick grandma's hospital bill after overhearing her family was in debt from the cost of the treatments. However, considering the way Jisung acted when he was with Jeongin, Jeongin begged to differ. Although a bit stricken, Jeongin guessed Chan's answer made more sense than the other students'. After all, how much did Boo Seungkwan's opinion count? He was the school's drama queen, after all.

So, if Jisung was really as bad of a person as Jeongin and Chan thought, why did it hurt to see him cry and break down like that?

Jeongin opened his mouth to ask Chan why he perceived Jisung as rude, only the be cut off by a loud, "Hi, hello!"

Jeongin looked up to see a smiling face that Jeongin should have recognized but didn't. Jeongin frowned, looking at the other's face carefully. He seemed... like Jeongin had met him before. Where exactly? Perhaps it was in his dream, one of the two bits he had of his life before the mysterious accident? Ah, yes that was it. Jeongin had seen this boy when he dreamt of that one precious moment of his childhood.

Jeongin had been in elementary school, and not many people wanted to be friends with the strange kid from Busan. Understandable, Jeongin thought. Everyone here was from Seoul, and his accent surely sounded funny. This day was not any better, as it was a "mix-and-mingle" day where kids from different grades, K-5, all talked and got to know each other more. Of course, the students just saw this as an excuse to play with each other, and Jeongin found it upsetting. He was hoping to make a new friend. He sat in the corner, quietly, playing with the broken truck. The only truck his classmates let him have.

"Hey, why are you by yourself? Don't you want to play with the other children?" a kind voice asked, interrupting the truck's flow of movement.

Jeongin looked up and saw a boy with pretty grey-blue hair and a wide smile. He looked kind, and Jeongin could see his own reflection in the other's eyes. "No. They don't like me, and I don't have any friends," Jeongin mumbled, looking at the ground.

The stranger would probably think he was a weirdo now. Who didn't have friends in the school? Jeongin waited for the other to hit him, to laugh at him, to call him mean words. He waited, but they never came. "Cool, I'll hang out with you, then. Let's be friends? I'm in 5th grade, so we can't see each other often, but I'll try?" the older offered, holding a hand out to Jeongin.

Jeongin doubted he had ever smiled more, and he took the other's hand apprehensively. "What's your name? I'm Yang Jeongin."

The older smiled. "My name? I'm going to be your best friend, I'm—"

Just as he opened his mouth to say his name, the dream had cut off. Fate really did hate Jeongin, huh? First this, then rain, and now having his friend (crush) furious at him? Great start to your day, Jeongin, he thought.

Nonetheless, it was probably just some stupid thing he had made up. Without thinking, he poked the other (he assumed he was older). "What's your name? I'm Yang Jeongin."

After saying them, Jeongin cringed internally at how familiar they sounded. The other visibly flinched but kept a calm composure. "My name? I'm going to be your best friend, I'm Kim Woojin, full of smiles!" the other said, shaking Jeongin's hand.

Jeongin knew the older was testing the waters, to see if Jeongin was really the same boy. Jeongin was confused. After all, it was just a dream. This was probably just some coincidence that, with his luck, would happen to Jeongin, right? Whatever type of fate this was, it was not funny. At all. Forcing a smile on his face, Jeongin smiled wider than the sun. "Oh, that's great! I don't know if you know, but I'm suffering from a severe lack of friends," Jeongin said.

The words sounded so childish, but for some reason, they were the only words that sounded right. If Jeongin had said something else, this small feeling in his chest wouldn't have let him rest. Woojin opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself. Jeongin briefly wondered what was going on before seeing Chan's glare from the couch. Chan walked over to the both of them and slung a hand over their shoulders. "How dare you introduce yourself without me, Woojin? I am offended!" Chan exclaimed, trying to play the fury off as kind teasing.

Jeongin saw right through the action and made a mental note to ask Chan about it later. Woojin laughed, sinking back in Chan's touch. Okay, nevermind. Maybe Jeongin was just reading into it wrong. They both seemed perfectly content. "Do I have to do everything you say, Mr. Boss?" Woojin teased.

This was the perfect time for Jeongin's phone to ring, and, guess what? His ringtone was NCT U's Boss, and Jeongin almost laughed out loud. This was great timing. Jeongin pulled out his phone to see a text from an unknown number.

 

**Unknown Number (1xx-23x-298x)**

 

yoyoyo kiddo missed me?

 

**Jeongjeong is in the house**

 

uh who is this????

 

**Unknown Number (1xx-23x-298x)**

 

never have  i ever been more disappointed than right now istg jeongin. it's felixxxx :)

 

**jeongjeong is in the house**

 

oOOps sorry!!! how'd you even get this? actually

nvm changbean had it for a group project

 

 **Felix** **Sunshine**

 

right!! k, so we meeting at the amusement park  at 1??? because, like, it's 

currently abouttttt 11:53

 

**jeongjeong is in the house**

 

oh rip me i forgot

let me change clothes and we'll

see you later i guess

by we i mean woojin chan and me

 

**F** **elix Sunshine**

 

what the??? not even going to ask how you met them but sure

 

 

Jeongin smiled as he turned his phone off and shoved it in his back pocket. He looked up to see Chan and Woojin looking at him with anticipation. Woojin smiled, poking Jeongin. "Crush?" Woojin asked, the bright smile evident on his face.

From the corner of Jeongin's eye, he swore he saw Chan's expression turn dark. Choosing to ignore it, he bit down on his lip. "No, no! Felix found my number, and he just asked me about the amusement park." Jeongin paused, remembering something important. "Oh, right, about that. Can I borrow some of your clothes? The ones I brought to work were soaked in the rain..." Jeongin said.

Jeongin didn't include the part about Jisung, but he knew Woojin was suspicious. "Where are they, then? Couldn't you have brought them here?" Woojin asked. The suspicion in his eyes was overwhelming as Woojin turned to Chan.

Glaring right back at Woojin, Chan shook his head. "Long story short, they got lost. Whatever, it doesn't matter. Let's just let Jeongin find some clothes, since he can't go to an amusement park wearing Kongxu Cafe's uniform. Here, Jeongin, come to my closet," Chan hummed, gesturing at his room.

"Wait a minute," Woojin laughed. "You koala, I think Jeongin would fit my clothes better."

Chan scoffed, hitting Woojin's shoulder. "I'm his height! You're the lanky one, Bear."

Woojin shook his head at Chan. Before CHan could say anything, Woojin took Jeongin's hand and led him to his room. Opening the white oak door, Jeongin saw a neat room with posters on the walls. The majority of them were from Lost Kids, and Jeongin smiled. His favorite was O.N, or Yeong Jangun. Feeling the soft tap on his shoulder, Jeongin looked in the direction WOojin was pointing. Woojin had opened up his closet, and, Jeongin hated to admit, Woojin's fashion sense was better than his. Although Woojin probably had more money to spend on clothes, most of them didn't look that expensive. "Pick whatever you want. You don't even have to give them back, I need new clothes," Woojin said, his face turning a light pink.

Humming, Jeongin walked over to the closet. He didn't want to choose something too expensive because he didn't want to feel like a thief. Nonetheless, Jeongin was definitely returning the clothes no matter what Woojin said. He picked up a plain white shirt and some black jeans. He turned around to see if Woojin approved of his choices, but got no reaction from the older. "Uh... I think this is okay..." Jeongin mumbled. He made eye contact with Woojin and hid his face behind the shirt. He didn't want to take Woojin's clothes, but with the look the older gave him, there was no point.

Woojin pet Jeongin's head. "You keep those. I'll let you change, I guess?" Woojin asked, turning to leave the room.

Before the older could move any further, Jeongin reached for his wrist, successfully gripping it in a tight hold. Woojin turned around in surprise, meeting Jeongin's gaze, At the moment, Jeongin didn't know what came over him, but he needed answers.

Jeongin knew less about himself than a stranger at his college. He had asked so many people about what happened before, but everyone had given him a look that told him it was best he didn't remember. Jeongin didn't know what he must have done to make such a commotion, but he didn't think it was anything decent. Many possibilities had flooded into his head, but none of them made sense. It had come to the point where, three months ago, Jeongin asked a stranger by the name of Seungcheol what had happened. Seungcheol didn't tell him much, but he told Jeongin the most anyone had. "Ask Kim Woojin," Seungcheol had said, his eyes glazing over with sadness. Jeongin realized it must have been devastating to the whole school and stopped prodding everyone.

Now, he had finally found him. The whole year, Jeongin had never seen Woojin. Perhaps he attended a different school? The possibilities were endless. But the man he spent the past month hunting down was in front of him, and questions were flooding Jeongin's head. "Who are you? Have I met you before?" Jeongin asked, still gripping Woojin's wrist. Jeongin's hand turned white.

Woojin's expression didn't change. "Maybe you saw me in the hallways before?" Woojin suggested.

Jeongin shook his head. No, Woojin had to know more. "No! Tell me, what do you know that I don't?" Jeongin pleaded. Both of his hands were holding onto Woojin, and Jeongin could feel tears start to fall from his eyes.

Woojin hesitated, but shook his head again. "I'm really sorry, Jeongin. Even if I did know something, I—"

"Are you two making out? Come on, kids, I made tea. If we're going to drink it before meeting up with Felix, Jeongin needs to change," Chan called from the kitchen.

Jeongin let go of Woojin's wrist, turning red. "I'm sorry, I panicked. It's just been a long time, and I think I'm getting delusional," Jeongin crinkled his face up. The amnesia really screwed up his head, huh?

Woojin smiled, and Jeongin would be lying if he didn't see the small flicker of sadness. Jeongin felt the pang in his heart, too, and wondered why. "Yeah, I understand. I got a bit afraid. It might be a bit weird if you go around asking random things." Woojin laughed.

No, I only want to ask you, Jeongin thought. He never got the courage to ask Woojin before the older was dragging him out of the room. Chan had already put three cups of tea with sugar cubes on the table and was looking down on his phone. Not bothering to glance up, he said, "Felix says he skipped class for us to go to the amusement park together, so he says we better be on time."

When Chan did decide to look up, Jeongin saw him look proud when he saw Woojin's outfit. When his eyes landed on Jeongin, Jeongin could've sworn Chan smirked. Turning red himself, Jeongin hid his face behind the oversized sweater. "Woojin," Chan laughed, choking on laughter. "You do know that my clothes would have definitely fit him better?"

Woojin grinned. "Hey, I thought you'd appreciate me—"

Chan pulled Woojin to the seat next to him and shoved a pillow on Woojin's face. "Oh, shut up, you bear!"

Jeongin stood there, amused. Woojin had a pillow embroidered with koalas suffocating him, Chan was turning redder than the rug, and the tea was shaking in the cup. Two sugar cubes had already fallen out of the bowl, and Jeongin saw a third one on the edge. "I'm glad that you're letting me see you two fight, but, I just realized I don't know much about either of you. So, can you introduce yourselves to me?"

Woojin suspiciously tapped his feet. "Wasn't a year enough to learn at least the basics?" Woojin asked.

Jeongin pursed his lips and shook his head. Normally, yes, an amnesiac could acquire enough of their old memories or make new ones to associate with people in a year. However, Jeongin had pulled himself from society, choosing to stay away from everyone else. Another annoying fact was that he'd probably never gain his memory back. The doctors had told him that, unless a huge trigger occurred, he'd have to start from scratch. That left a confused Jeongin in his first (technically second) year of college with no clue who he hated, who he was friends with, or who he liked.

Nevermind. Jeongin definitely knew who he liked. From day one, Han Jisung had caught his attention. Jeongin first saw him (again?) at the school assembly that was meant to welcome the new students. The upperclassmen had performed for them. Some were terrible, such as the kid who "sang" EXO's Growl. Some were really exhilarating to watch, such as Felix's stage with Minho and Changbin. 

Then came Jisung. The way he walked, his charismatic stage presence, and face were enough to make Jeongin fall for him. He fell harder when he saw Jisung pay for a girl's lunch after she had no money to buy any. It melted his heart, and Jeongin realized how nice of a person Jisung could be. However, Jeongin really doubted that now. Jisung had sneered at him in the hallway often, Jisung's friends whispered things behind his back, and Jisung was rude to him. Only him.

"Mmm... yeah, I guess. Just, never really paid attention to people," Jeongin muttered under his breath.

Chan nodded. "Can't blame you. Coming back after amnesia? That was really brave. There were sure to be bullies, though. Like a certain Han Jisung," Chan exclaimed loudly at the wall to Jeongin's left.

Turning around, Jeongin realized that was the room Jisung went in. The walls didn't seem so thick, so Chan was probably yelling at Jisung to make a point. "What did the squirrel do this time?" Woojin asked. Jeongin turned back around and took a minute to comprehend that squirrel was Jisung.

Chan bit his lip. "That little... He took Jeongin's notebook and was getting way too close for any human being's comfort, crush or not. Who knows what he would've done? What if he'd read Jeongin's notebook? I'm sure there are things in there he doesn't want anyone to know," Chan exclaimed.

Jeongin bit his lip. Chan was right. There was plenty in the journal he didn't want another living soul to know. Jeongin had started writing everything he could figure out about his life before in there, and, honestly, some things were scary. Jeongin felt himself stiffen up at the thought.

Chan continued. "The guy is really rude. He keeps his "nice-to-everyone" image well, but only a select few know how bad of a person he is. Jisung pays for people, is a gentleman, and does public service. That's probably the version you fell in love with, Jeongin. Besides that, he's actually the child of the devil. He steals people's money, slams the door in our faces, and doesn't even pick up his own trash. Some dude!"

Carefully, picking up his tea, Woojin took a ginger sip. "I've heard he's even friends with the notorious hacker, Void97," Woojin said, grimacing at the thought.

Chan vigorously nodded his head. "Exactly! Minho's the rumored guy, and I wouldn't put it past him. Void97 has a friend, you see, Void00. They're a duo, but Void00 has been lying low for the past... two months?" Chan said.

Jeongin blinked, before gulping down the rest of the tea. That sounded familiar. Void97 and Void00. Was it because he had done a project on black holes in Astronomy at the beginning of the year? No, Jeongin didn't think so. "Is their duo name Void907017?" Jeongin asked.

Chan spit out his tea, hastily wiping his mouth. "How'd you know? They only signed their names like that in their Golden Age. That was about... a year and six months ago? I can't remember, but I know for sure it was before your accident."

Tapping his feet against the hard, wooden ground, Jeongin stuck out his tongue. "I don't know, I—oh."

A small realization hit Jeongin. If he knew hackers from a year and a half ago who were practically inexistent now, then that had to mean he'd known the hackers.

The doctors only said he'd remember anything from his past if it was traumatic.

That was why Jeongin had remembered his abusive parents, his brief encounter with death, and his terrible habits.

His accident.

The murder.

Oh, no.

Jeongin did not like this one bit.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like you guys should get to read my half-hearted planning for this fic... of course, it's not exactly the same as the plot I actually used, but this one is the messiest one.


End file.
